00:37-00:49 My name's Phil McCreen (PM) I am the train manager in great in great southern railways. And I'm one of nine train managers that works with great southern railways in (somewhere) and the .
00:50-00:54 AC-What can you tell me about the Ghan. What is this train?
00:56-1: 12-Nervous conductor
1 :15-2:01 PM-Well the history of the Ghan started in 1929, we used to leave port augusta, the train had no time table and you could catch the train and be up to a month late stuck out here in the middle of the bush. Stranded because the waters used to come down and wash the track away. Um, to me the Ghan is part of the legacy of Austrailian rail travel. Which is to me, I was brought up on trains, and to me the romanticism, the magic of trains and to work them you know, was like one of my ambitions. Or be a policeman, one or the other. But I chose the trains because my dad worked here.
2:02 -2:05-AC-And the Ghan, the Ghan is a special train in Australia .
2:06-2:42 PM It's one of them. Yeah, it's one of the few remaining trains in Australia that has survived cost cutting, efficiency progress, and yes, it's the only train that gets you to the middle of Australia . Especially now that we leave Sydney it brings the eastern states into it. And melbourne. The only other way to get to the middle of Australia is to catch a plane or a bus or drive there. Or here you can get to see the heartland of Australia in comfort
2:43-2:45 AC-Where does it get it's name? The Ghan?
2:45-3:14PM-From the afghan camalese that used to be out here working the camel trains. Before there was rail or road, everything that used to be brought up to central austrailia was brought up by the camels and they brought in a lot of pakastani and afghan camels to work the camels, and uh, being Australia n, everything in Australia has a new word for it. Instead of saying afghan we say 'Ghan', and that's where the Ghan came from.
3: 18-3 :23 AC-You manage other trains, PM-Yeah. AC-you take other trains? PM¬Yeah, union pacific. AC-How does this one compare?
3:24-4:02 PM-How does this one compare to the other trains? AC-Yeah ... PM-It's a lot shorter trip. It's urn, ahum, there's more intensity on the union pacific to work because you've got more meals to do, you've got more duties to perform whereas this one is a lot more relaxing. Whereas you only do dinner and do a breakfast. And you got more time to spend to talk to your passengers. Whereas on the other trains you're really pressed for time for a lot of things. Unless you're running late. That's the only thing
4:02-4:06 AC-You said the Ghan had a reputation for not having a timetable.
4:07-Yeah, that was up 1984, the train could be, if like if it rained, before they used to just lay the tracks on the sand with the wooden slates. When the waters used to come down it just totally obliterate and wash the tracks away, and then the waters would come behind and they'd be like an island just sitting out there. There used to be a legendary conductor by the name of and he's famous for being one of the few conductors that used to bring a rifle with him and he used to go off and shoot goats and things because that was only way he used to feed the passengers of the train. You would get airdrops. And it was quite common for that train to be up to a couple of months late. (radio comes in) 5:03-Radio conversation between train driver and station.
6:20-PM-If you ever get a chance when you're in ellis springs go see the Ghan preservation society, that's what's left of the original Ghan and actually uses some of the old Ghan tracks and takes you on a spin down the road there. It's actually doing the speed it us4d to do from (something to something) which si a good 40-50km/hour
6:45-AC-How fast are we travelling now? PM-115 km. Doesn't seem like it but we are doing it.
6:53-Does it usually look like this out there? PM-Nope, nope. AC-this is pretty green isn't it? PM-That's because we've had almost double the rainfall this year that ellis springs normally has. We've had huge amounts for this time, and ahh, I think some towns have had rainfall plus the last two years in one year. So yeah, this is a beautiful time to see Australia . Normally it's just red and barren but now it's lush and green. That's what happens when it rains out here it just brings life.
7:33-AC -Some of those bushes out there look like they've been there all the time.
7:37-PM-Ah yeah, some of them are stunted trees some of them are not really bushes. Out here everything, it's like anywhere, adapt to circumstances'. And some of these trees out here, they adapt because they haven't had the proper water and whatever the trees need to live. When it does get it, it sucks it up and has a growth spurt instead of relying on
what's in the air. Their roots are deep in the ground because there isn't much surface
water.
8: 18-Radio comes in again.
10:50-Audio kicks back in.
10:52-(announcement made over the P A) So, we would like to ask everyone to turn their clocks back one hour. It is now 9 minutes past ten. time. So if everyone could please turn their watches back an hour, 60 minutes in reverse, it is 10:09. If you look out on the left and right side of the train, you'll see the ranges ahead of us. The blue haze is range. Signals coming into Ala Springs. (gives time again and goes off)
11 :48-Stops talking, Good Ambience of train moving in the background. (tape skip at
12:29)
12:38-Stop down.
12:42-Soft Chatter and Talk backed by train noises.
15:06-Messing with equipment.
15: 1 0-Nosy person wanting to know what's going on.
15: 19-Passengers disembark from the train (PA announcement then trailing ambience)

15 :31-PSA to make sure no one leaves personal items, giving notice of where to get luggage. Car collection announcement. Tour group assembly instruction. Information inside terminal building, as well as refreshment bar. Taxi location. 16:39-And on behalf of GSR and the staff, I'd like to thank you for travelling with us on the Ghan. Announcement regarding a man at the hospital? 17:19-thank you once again, I hope you enjoy your stay in Ala springs and hope to see you again sometime. Thank you.
17:25-Background ambience. (soft chat occasionally)
18 :59-Chatter stops. Ambience again. 19: 14-Rattling change?
20:06-Manoli MIS, 50130. Recording more of arrival into Ala springs.
20: 15-Ambience begins. Soft coughing, soft chatter, squeaking motion noises.
23:07-FX-BoxiCrate-Something slams onto the ground.
23: 19-Announcement over the P A that it is safe to let passengers off, then returns to Ambience.
23:50-Ambience stops. 24:14-Outside Ala springs walking toward the front of the train. MS 50130 VG
Ambience begins of things going on as walking to the front of the train. Trucks, and machinery are running by. 27:41-Ambience ends. 27:48-New Ambience. Sounds of bees and bugs and insects. 1 Th, 5:50. Ambience
begins. Walking with bugs and bees in background. 29:53-voice asks what are you doing? M-responds recording silence. 29:59-Returns to ambience. 35:19-M-ends the ambience. That's some nice "buzzy-wuzzies" (Logger's note: BUZZY
WUZZIES?!!) Coming on 6, Uluru 17th
35:36-More ambience. Occasional soft bird noises. Ambience from another part of
(somewhere) Soft sound of a ... plane?
36:32-37: 10 FX-Approaching vehicle, passing vehicle, waning vehicle.
37:30-Good Ambience, bugs and whatnot.
39:01-Equipment bump?
39:05-Sound of vehicles again. 39:22-M-Quite a bit of traffic!
39:34-Ambience returns.
40:51-Sudden shut down. Uluru-Ayers Rock
40:52-M-"quite a few tour buses." Goes to Ambience. Fading bus,
42:06-New location. Chatter.
42:26-FX-Bus passes by. Continued group chatter.
44:35-AC-Where'ya from?
44:36-44:37-Woman-Aberdine, Scotland.
Australia
P5
SW
44:37-Long way to come to see the sun set on a rock. What's so special about this experience for you?
44:44-Just a magical experience really. The world is getting smaller. We didn't imagine to be stiting here watching Ayers Rock.
45:08-(same question to M&F) Manchester, England. 45:11-44:12-Long way to come to see a rock.
44:12-That's what we said on the way up. Exactly that. It's what you feel, not just what you see as well. It's what you see and feel. So we're hoping all these people go away so we can feel as well as the atmosphere.
44:26-AC-How many people d'yathink are here?
45:28-300?
46:12-(same location question) We are coming from Germany.
46: 16-It's a long way to come to look at a rock.
46:29-Vee are on a cruise around Australia . We looked at the (something) national park, then some other places, and now here.
46:45-How do you like the rock? 46:46-Ah yes, I find it very particularly, very wonderful. Ornamental. 48:29-(location question) Germany.
48:38 (why come?) -We have many mountains in Bavaria, but this is not the same as in Bavaria.
50: 13-FX-Hiss of bus breaks amid the ambience.
50:47-(location?) England
51 :44-because it's so fabulous. Everybody has to see it if he's or she's in holiday in Australia . Nice to watch. One of the nicest spots in Australia (smacking occasionally) From Hamburg
52:24-(where from?) Canada? 52:29-(why come?) We didn't come specifically to see the rock. Friends living here.
52:56-(what do you think?) We're interested, it's interesting. Probably worth the effort.
53:05-I'm glad the aboriginal term is being used instead of Ayers rock. And people being warned not to climb, it's an insult to them.
53:58-Ambience in the bus area watching 'da rock.' People, buses, laughing, coughing, etc.
56:56-AC chatting with cart driver.
59:49-Stop down.
59:55-Morning of the 18th
1 :00:00-Ambience. Soft crickets, even softer chatter in the background.
1 :01: 18-Approaching footsteps. AC-All these people are here to climb, They haven't opened the gate yet. They're about to open the gate.
1:01:31-Wind kicks up (not good)
1 :02:17 AC-Where ya from? English Man(EM): England. AC-England? Are you gonna climb the rock today? EM: Yeah. Been looking forward to it the whole trip. AC: Yeah? What does Ayres rock mean to you? You've heard about it in England? EM: Yeah, yeah, it's very popular in England. AC: What about climbing it with the local people feeling it's not a good idea? EM: I can understand their point of view. They don't climb it apparently. I read about it in the museum recently saying people shouldn't climb it and stuff like that. I understand that. But, I don't think it does much damage to it and it's one of those things I've always wanted to do, so. (talking all over the end of this)
1:03 :03-AC: What about the danger? It's pretty steep going up there. EM: Yeah, well. It's been 35 deaths or something climbing up there. Apparently, I' was told yesterday. So I'll be a bit careful.
1:03 :21-Laughter English Guy (EG): I'm from England as well. AC: Are you going to climb to the top all the way. EG: Yes, I've decided I'm going to climb today AC: I think it will be hard. EG: I think it will be very hard. But I've decided I'm going to do it so I'm going to do it.

1:03:31-AC: What about the kinda controversy over climbing. EG: Well, I've kinda heard that they don't want people climbing it. I don't know. I'm still going to climb it, but I know they're not very happy with people doing that.
1 :04:21-AC what about the people, the aboriginals who say it's not good going up there? Woman (W): Well, we weren't going to initially because we wanted ot resp4ected their wishes, but then it was such a fabulous opportunity and I'll never be here again. And it's just so beautiful. It's a wonderful rock. Isn't it? AC: Where ya from? W: Manchester in England
1 :07: 17-Additonal Ambience at the base of the rock, looking at a group of hikers.
1 :08:45-Very soft voices in the ambience for a few seconds.
1 :09:35-Some more sounds in the ambience. Hard to hear.
1:10:51-FX-Whistle?
1: 11 :23-Brief wind in the grass. 11 :28-Bump
1:12:58-New Location, new Ambi
1:13:28-Audio skip?
1: 14: 13-Another new location skip. Heavy wind through here.
1:14:45-AC What part of england are you from? New English Guy (NEG): Nottingham AC: So tell me, you're gonna climb up there. Do you know about the aboriginal (winds pick up in mic) (explication) NEG: Yeah, I've heard that they don't want anyone to climb up there. But I've come all this way I'm going all the way up to the top, you know? AC: So where are you from? NEG: England.
1 :15:14-NEG So how long does it take to get up there? AC: Someone said 800 meters.
1: 18:37-AC: What about the aboriginals who would prefer people not to climb. Seattle Guy (SG): From what we understand they're pretty much in control of this park and can shut it down when they please. There's probably some that don't appreciate this but there is a large revenue they gain from this. But they look at the monetary as well. I don't know the ins and outs but it's available and we want to climb so there you go.
1:22:01-Netherlands Women: I think that if they really don't want you to climb they should close it.
1:32:30-German Guy: Yes, it's those aborigines. That's their opinion. I think try, why not?
1 :39:08-CJ-Why did you decide not to go up the rock? Guy: Well, I guess I spoke to some aboriginals when I was in at ala springs,. They said it's up to you, we prefer you not
Australia
P8
SW to, but it's up to you. So I thought that I'd honor their tradition and not. (lots of talking over in the background)
1:45 :08-Wind next to the base of Uluru. 1:45:10-Good noise of wind, low hum ofa plane overhead?
1:45 :36-Car horn honks. 1:47:50-Stops, Manoli moving away to find a better place. 1 :50:20-Ambience by a group of trees, further in, trying to avoid the big engine sounds. Gets better around 1 :50:49.
1 :52:27-Wind rustling mic. Manoli: "Oh bloody hell, as they say."
1 :52:50 Back to normal. 1 :52:55-Walking along the ground briefly before returning to Ambi sounds.
1 :55:04 Manoli-Wind in the middle of the tall grasses.
1 : 5 5: 14-Ambi/FX Good breeze comes by and rustles the grasses.
1 :55 :35-Talking 1:56:12-Ambi/FX Another strong breeze through the grasses.
1 :59:08-Talking, mic noises etc. Then silence until end of dat